Signal device



F. J. METZGER. SIGNAL DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED OCT. 7.1921- 1,437,436, Patented Dec. 5, 1922.

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Patented Dec. 5, 1922.

UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE.

FLOYD J. METZGER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO AIR REDUCTION COMPANY,

INCORPORATED, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

SIGNAL DEVICE.

Application filed October 7,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FLOYD J. Mnrzenn, a citizen of the United. States, residin at New York city, in the county of New firk, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Signal De- 7 vices; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make anduse the same.

This invention relates to the operation of signal devices employing high tension elec tric current as an energizing medium, and particularly to the utilization of tubes containing gases such as neon, helium and the like in which an electrical discharge causes luminescence. Such signals may be em- .ployed for a variety of purposes and are particularly valuable as an indication of danger. Tubes of the character described have been formed in the outline of a symbol such as a hand andutilized to indicate the intention of the driver of a motor-driven vehicle upon which the signal is mounted to persons following the vehicle.

The use of such tubes requires a high tension current' for the operation of the sig-, nal. Obviously the high tension current might be taken fromthe ignition system of the vehicle. This would necessitate, however, the use of heavily insulated cables and would involve a constant danger of current leakage. Moreover, in practice it has been found to be undesirable to tap the high tension circuit of the ignition system because the diversion of current-reducesthe eflt'ectiveness of the spark and consequently interferes with the operation of the engine. Under. some conditions, the proper functioning of the ignition system will be prevented.

1921. Serial No. 506,120.

without, however, tapping the high tension circuit of the ignition system.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent as it is better understood by reference to the following specification and accompanying diagrammatic drawing in which the single figure represents a combined ignition and signal system embodying the novel features hereinafter described.

It has been discovered that by tapping the primary or low tension winding of the ignition coil and connecting one end of the low tension winding of' a supplementary coil thereto, the other end being grounded, the secondary or high tension winding of the supplemental coil will be energized without the necessity of employing a vibrator. The high tension current in the secondary winding of the supplemental coil may be employed to energize the signal device. The

ignition system is not adversely affected by this arrangement.

Referring to the drawing, 5 indicates a spark plug, one terminal of which is grounded on the engine to which the corresponding secondary terminal of the ignition coil 6. is connected by a conductor 7. The other terminal of the spark plug is connected by a conductor 8 to the other secondary terminal of the coil 6. A battery or othersource of current 9 is connected by a conductor 10 to one primary terminal of the coil 6 and by a conductor 11 is grounded on the frame 12 of the vehicle. The other primary terminal of the coil 6 is connected by a conductor 13 to the frame of the vehicle, and an interrupter 14 is provided in this circuit and is mechanically operated to break the circuit at intervals in a manner Well known in the art for the purpose of Inducing a high tension current in the secondary winding of the coil 6. The coil 6 is provided with a capacity such as a condenser 15 connected across its primary ter-' minals to insure a spark of the required intensity. 1

The signal device may consists of a tube 15'- formed in the outline of a symbol such as a hand and filled with a gas such as neon. The terminals of the signal device are connectedby conductors Hand 17 the secondary terminals of a coil 18 which may be considerably smaller than the e011 6. One

primary terminal of the coil 18 is connected by a conductor 19 to one primary terminal of the coil 6 and a circuit breaker such as a push button 20 is disposed in this circuit to permit control of the signal. The other primary terminal of the coil 18 is connected by a conductor 21 'to the frame of the vehicle.

The operation of the system is as follows:

The primary circuit of the coil 9 being closed, the interrupter 14 regularly breaks the circuit, thus inducing a high tension current in the secondary winding of the coil 6 and causing a spark at the gap of the plug 5. When the button 20 is depressed, thus closing the circuit through the primary winding of the supplemental coil 18, a high tension current is similarly induced in the secondary winding of that coil and the signal device is caused to flash as the electrical discharge passes therethrough. The illumination of the signal is thus readily controlled and made available without interfering with the ignition system. No vibrator is necessary in the coil 18 and the difliculty induced by the use of a vibrator is avoided. It will be noted that the resistance of the coil 18 is materially greater than that of the interrupter circuit. Consequently, little current normally passes through the coil 18 when the circuit is closed at the in terrupter, the current following the path of least resistance in the interrupter circuit. When the interrupter circuit is broken m0- mentarily, the current followsvthe primary circuit of the supplemental coil with the result described. The current supplied to the in parallel with the induce a current in the secondary winding of that coil that the effect of the interrupter is not prevented by the introduction of the supplemental coil.

The elimination .of the vibrator in the supplemental coil permits a considerable reduction in the cost of the signal device as heretofore employed since a simple coil consisting of fewer parts may be used. All difficulties inherent to the use of a vibrator are avoided so that the operation is greatly improved.

Various changes may be made in the de tails of arrangement of the parts without departing from the invention or sacrificing any of the advantages set forth.

I claim:

In a signal system for motor-driven vehicles, the combination of ignition means including a spark plug, a transformer adapted to supply high tension current to the spark plug, means for delivering an energizing current to the primary circuit of the transformer, an interrupter in said primary circuit, a signal device consisting of a luminescent tube, a supplemental transformer for supplying high tension current to the tube, the low tension circuit of the supplemental transformer being arranged interrupter circuit whereby the passage of the current through said low tension circuit is controlled. 7

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

FLOYD J. METZGER. 

